Josh Baker

The Board of Trustees discussed several key operational and strategic updates. These included remarks from the interim president on fundraising, athletics, and university leadership changes, as well as faculty and student association reports regarding governance and enrollment metrics. The Board received a presentation on the State University System efficiency study and reviewed the presidential search process and timeline. Committee reports were provided covering academic and student affairs, finance, governance, and audit compliance. Action items included the election of a Vice Chair, the approval of a 2025-2035 campus development agreement with the City of Jacksonville, and a consent agenda covering various committee resolutions.

The committee reviewed the Strategic Plan Monitoring and Implementation Committee Charter and received an update on Strategic Plan Key Performance Indicators, including student success metrics, research expenditures, and foundation fundraising progress. Discussion topics included alternative research funding strategies, the impacts of federal funding uncertainty, and the university's efforts regarding U.S. News & World Report peer assessment rankings through targeted SWAT team initiatives. Additionally, the committee analyzed student deposit data and enrollment trends, as well as the institution's commitment to experiential learning and workforce outcomes.

The Audit and Compliance Committee meeting covered several key action items and discussions. The committee approved the Performance-based Funding Data Integrity Audit, which verified the accuracy and timeliness of required data submissions underpinning performance funding. The committee also reviewed and approved the annual revision of the Audit and Compliance Committee Charter, which included minor clarifications to reporting structures and independence descriptions. In discussion items, the Chief Audit Executive provided a quarterly update, highlighting completed audits for Enterprise Systems with Personally Identifiable Information and departmental audits for psychology and chemistry, while also detailing ongoing and upcoming work, including a Workday security audit and external State Auditor reviews. The Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer announced the hiring of a new Deputy Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer, reported on updates to the University Constitution and the launch of new online training for search committee members, and mentioned ongoing policy and regulation updates. The final item involved a presentation on the Independent Accountant's Report on Agreed Upon Procedures for Intercollegiate Athletics, confirming that the annual review resulted in a clean report with no findings or exceptions.

Key discussions included the Annual Review of the Governance Committee Charter, which resulted in its reaffirmation with no recommended changes. The committee also received an update on the biennial review of the Board of Trustees Bylaws and the Resolution of Presidential Authority, with redlined versions anticipated for approval in June. Furthermore, an update was provided on the institutional accreditation application process with the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), noting that preliminary materials were submitted and approved without deficiencies, with an on-site evaluation visit scheduled for April 2026. The committee unanimously approved the Governance Committee Charter.

The meeting covered several key actions and discussions. Key action items included the unanimous approval of tenure upon hire for Dr. John (Jack) Shelley Tremblay as a full professor and Chair of the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, which is intended to advance the university's R1 aspirations. Additionally, the committee unanimously approved a minor amendment to the Academic and Student Affairs Committee Charter to reduce the minimum required number of annual meetings from four to three. Discussion items focused significantly on student success metrics, including record-setting enrollment and retention rates for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 cohorts, and the narrowing of the gap between overall retention and retention with a 2.0 GPA or higher. The integration of experiential learning as a required, curriculum-embedded component across undergraduate academics was detailed, noting significant employer engagement. The committee also discussed potential future initiatives regarding student testimonials and state funding pilots to offset costs for unpaid internships.